diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 6d67e444de..234d0af0fd 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -258,6 +258,8 @@ all::
 # dependency rules.
 #
 # Define NATIVE_CRLF if your platform uses CRLF for line endings.
+#
+# Define NO_UNIX_SOCKETS if your platform does not have them.
 
 GIT-VERSION-FILE: FORCE
 	@$(SHELL_PATH) ./GIT-VERSION-GEN
@@ -1214,6 +1216,7 @@ ifneq (,$(findstring MINGW,$(uname_S)))
 	NO_INET_NTOP = YesPlease
 	NO_POSIX_GOODIES = UnfortunatelyYes
 	NO_D_INO_IN_DIRENT = YesPlease
+	NO_UNIX_SOCKETS = UnfortunatelyNot
 	COMPAT_CFLAGS += -D__USE_MINGW_ACCESS -DNOGDI -Icompat -Icompat/win32
 	COMPAT_CFLAGS += -DSTRIP_EXTENSION=\".exe\"
 	COMPAT_OBJS += compat/mingw.o compat/winansi.o \
@@ -1624,6 +1627,9 @@ endif
 ifdef GIT_TEST_CMP_USE_COPIED_CONTEXT
 	export GIT_TEST_CMP_USE_COPIED_CONTEXT
 endif
+ifdef NO_UNIX_SOCKETS
+	COMPAT_CFLAGS += -DNO_UNIX_SOCKETS=1
+endif
 
 ifeq ($(TCLTK_PATH),)
 NO_TCLTK=NoThanks
diff --git a/unix-socket.c b/unix-socket.c
index cf9890f57c..8defa80c31 100644
--- a/unix-socket.c
+++ b/unix-socket.c
@@ -1,6 +1,19 @@
 #include "cache.h"
 #include "unix-socket.h"
 
+#ifdef NO_UNIX_SOCKETS
+int unix_stream_connect(const char *path)
+{
+	errno = ENOSYS;
+	return -1;
+}
+
+int unix_stream_listen(const char *path)
+{
+	errno = ENOSYS;
+	return -1;
+}
+#else
 static int unix_stream_socket(void)
 {
 	int fd = socket(AF_UNIX, SOCK_STREAM, 0);
@@ -56,3 +69,4 @@ int unix_stream_listen(const char *path)
 
 	return fd;
 }
+#endif